Dr. Kanika Sharma, Medical Oncologist at Sohana Hospital, Mohali
You may be the person who keeps everything running smoothly. You manage your home, meet deadlines at work, care for aging parents, help children with their homework, remember every birthday in the family, and make sure everyone else is taken care of. Yet in the middle of all these responsibilities, your own health often slips to the bottom of the priority list.
But here is the difficult truth I have learned after more than a decade as a medical oncologist in India: cancer does not pause for your responsibilities. It does not wait until your children grow older or until life becomes less demanding. Every week, I meet women who tell me the same thing: “I was planning to get checked, but something more urgent came up.” What many of them realize too late is that nothing is more important than protecting your life.
Today, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in India. At the same time, cervical cancer continues to take thousands of lives every year, particularly in semi-urban and rural communities where awareness and screening are still limited. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research, the number of breast cancer cases in India has been steadily increasing, and many women are now being diagnosed even before the age of 50.
What makes this particularly concerning is that two simple screening tests can detect these cancers early, sometimes years before symptoms appear. A mammogram and a Pap smear have the potential to identify cancer at a stage when treatment is far more effective. When detected early, many cancers can be treated successfully. When diagnosed late, however, they often require more aggressive treatment and can drastically change the course of your life.
Consider the story of a 39-year old mother from Delhi who delayed her mammogram for four years because she believed she felt perfectly healthy. By the time she finally visited us at Sohana Hospital after discovering a lump, the cancer had already spread to nearby lymph nodes. When we first spoke, her biggest concern was not the treatment itself but whether she would live long enough to see her son complete his Class XII exams.
Now compare that with another woman, age 45, who came for a routine screening mammogram despite having no symptoms at all. She admitted she was hesitant and almost postponed the appointment. However, the screening detected a very small tumour at Stage I. Because it was caught early, she underwent a relatively minor surgery and needed very little additional treatment. Today, she sends updates about her daughter’s college applications and family milestones.
The difference between these two situations was not fate. It was simply the timing of the diagnosis.
A mammogram is a specialised X-ray that can detect tiny abnormalities in breast tissue long before you are able to feel a lump. For most women, routine screening is recommended starting at the age of 40, though you may need to begin earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer. While the test may feel slightly uncomfortable and requires a little time, it is far less difficult than undergoing months of chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or major surgery that may follow a late diagnosis.
Equally important is the Pap smear, a screening test that detects early changes in the cells of the cervix before they develop into cervical cancer. Identifying these precancerous changes allows doctors to treat them early and prevent cancer altogether. The World Health Organization has repeatedly emphasized that regular cervical screening significantly reduces deaths from cervical cancer. The procedure itself is quick, simple, and often life-saving.
Many women in India are raised to quietly tolerate discomfort and always place the needs of their families before their own. But endurance does not make you immune to illness, and sacrifice cannot shield you from disease. Your family does not need you to be exhausted or unwell, they need you to be healthy and present in their lives.
Choosing to get a mammogram or a Pap smear is not an act of vanity or indulgence. It is a responsible decision that protects both your health and your future. If you are over 40 and have never had a mammogram, consider scheduling one this month as we observe World Cancer Awareness Month 2026. If you are due for a Pap smear, contact your nearest gynaecologist and arrange the test. You can also play an important role in encouraging other women around you, speak to your sisters, friends, colleagues, and even the women who work in your home about the importance of regular screening. Sometimes a simple reminder or conversation can help someone take a step that could save her life.
Do not wait for pain, fear, or regret to force you into action. Your life is irreplaceable, and you deserve the same care and attention that you give so generously to everyone around you.